Girder Section Library

The Girder Section Library provides access to a library of girder sections that can be inserted into a project file. It can be accessed from the Section Properties Dialog Box (which is accessed via the Geometry Dialog Box) and also from the Libraries Menu under "Girder Sections…".

On installation, the section files that are shipped with Eriksson Girder are stored in the "Eriksson Software\Eriksson Girder\Libraries\Sections\" folder in the user's Documents folder. This is the default Eriksson Girder section library folder but can be changed from the Options dialog accessed from the File menu. A user can navigate to other folders, including those on a network, to open other Girder section files (which end in 'psl').

When a folder is selected, a list of the beam section files in that folder will be displayed. Click a section file to see the properties of the section and a corresponding sketch.

To insert a section into the current project (or edit the section if the library folder was accessed via the Libraries Menu), click on the file with the mouse, then click the 'OK' Button to copy the values associated with that section into the corresponding fields of the Section Properties dialog box. Alternatively, you can double-click the desired section. Note that each section file is a physically separate disk file, which are also separate from the file of the beam being designed. When you select a section from the library folder, only a copy of the chosen section is made and copied into your design file. You can then use the properties of the section just as copied from the library or modify them to suit the girder you are currently designing. If you do make any modifications to the section data in the Section Properties dialog box, the section data as it is stored in the section library will be unaffected; only the section information in your current job file will change.

Sections

Add

Initializes a new section with all values set to default.

Remove

Remove an existing section.

Import

Import a previous version PSBeam Section Library file (.dat extension), which has the default name "SectionLib.dat", used in Versions 2 and 3 of PSBeam, and break out the sections into individual section files used in Version 4 of the software. The new section files will be added to the selected folder chosen in the dialog box.

Export

Export the selected section.

Section Properties

The Section Properties input module of a precast concrete girder design software. The user interface is designed to capture and display various geometric and physical properties of a specific girder section.

Section Name

A field to assign a name or identifier to the girder section, which is labeled as "New Section" by default.

Shear Key

A dropdown menu that allows the user to select or input the shear key geometry for the section.

CG (Center of Gravity)

Indicates the location of the center of gravity for the section.

Area (in²)

The cross-sectional area of the section.

Ixx (Moment of Inertia, in⁴)

The moment of inertia about the X-X axis, which is crucial for calculating bending stresses and deflections.

J (Torsional Constant, in⁴)

The torsional constant is representing the section's resistance to torsion.

bwo (in)

Refers to the overall width of the web.

V/S (in)

Refer to volume-to-surface ratio .

Top Flange (in)

The width of the top flange.

Section View:

A diagram of the girder cross-section is displayed on the right-hand side, with detailed dimensional labels and editable parameters.

The section includes input fields for the fillet radii (R), width (W), and height (H) for different regions of the section:

• Fillet radius at the corners (R)

• Width (W) and height (H) values are provided for both the top and bottom flange.

The section view is interactive, allowing the user to input values and adjust the geometry of the girder, with corresponding dimensional changes in the diagram.